Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Mucolytics for bronchiectasis.

A J Crockett1, J M Cranston, K M Latimer

  • 1Respiratory Unit, Flinders Medical Centre, Bedford Park, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, 5042. alan.crockett@flinders.edu.au

The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
|May 5, 2000
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Domiciliary oxygen for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

The Cochrane database of systematic reviews·2005
Same author

[Self assessment quality of life and lung diseases (SAQOL in patients with pulmonary carcinoma: influence to survival and impact of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease].

Pneumologie (Stuttgart, Germany)·2005
Same author

Systematic assessment of clinical practice guidelines for the management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Respiratory medicine·2003
Same author

Survival on long-term oxygen therapy in chronic airflow limitation: from evidence to outcomes in the routine clinical setting.

Internal medicine journal·2001
Same author

Domiciliary oxygen for interstitial lung disease.

The Cochrane database of systematic reviews·2001
Same author

A review of long-term oxygen therapy for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Respiratory medicine·2001
Same journal

Interventions to prevent or cease electronic cigarette use in children and adolescents.

The Cochrane database of systematic reviews·2026
Same journal

Drugs to improve anaemia, quality of life, and physical function in people with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS).

The Cochrane database of systematic reviews·2026
Same journal

Interventions for smoking cessation in inpatient psychiatry settings.

The Cochrane database of systematic reviews·2026
Same journal

Mechanical thromboprophylaxis for preventing intradialytic hypotension in people undergoing maintenance haemodialysis.

The Cochrane database of systematic reviews·2026
Same journal

Prognostic models for predicting intensive care unit admission or mortality in critically ill adults not yet been admitted to the intensive care unit.

The Cochrane database of systematic reviews·2026
Same journal

Views and experiences of weight management for people living with mobility‑limiting conditions, intellectual disabilities or severe mental illness: a qualitative evidence synthesis.

The Cochrane database of systematic reviews·2026
See all related articles

Mucolytic agents may help with sputum clearance in bronchiectasis. High-dose bromhexine with antibiotics eased expectoration, but more evidence is needed for routine use of mucolytics.

Area of Science:

  • Pulmonary Medicine
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Bronchiectasis is characterized by excessive sputum production, complicating expectoration.
  • Mucolytics aim to improve sputum clearance by altering its properties or reducing secretion.
  • Recombinant human DNase is one mucolytic that degrades DNA from neutrophils at infection sites.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the efficacy of ingested or inhaled mucolytic agents in patients diagnosed with bronchiectasis.

Main Methods:

  • Searched multiple databases and contacted experts for relevant randomized controlled trials.
  • Included trials focused on mucolytic treatment for bronchiectasis, excluding cystic fibrosis patients.
  • Data extraction and analysis were conducted independently by two reviewers with author verification.

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • High-dose bromhexine combined with antibiotics improved sputum expectoration and reduced sputum volume compared to placebo.
  • No significant difference in lung function (forced expiratory volume, forced vital capacity) was observed with recombinant human DNase.
  • Recombinant human DNase was associated with a higher incidence of adverse effects, such as influenza-like symptoms.

Conclusions:

  • Insufficient evidence exists to recommend the routine use of mucolytics for bronchiectasis.
  • High-dose bromhexine, when used with antibiotics, may offer benefits for sputum management in bronchiectasis.
  • Further research is warranted to establish the role of mucolytics in bronchiectasis treatment.